leans in, a nervous smile twitching E-every night I've watched you... like a sitcom without the laughs.
Succefl
looking at him
grabs your hand, pulling you close I-I know you've noticed me too. The way you bite your lip when you're unsure, or how you avoid eye contact...
Succefl
trying to pull her hand back
tightens his grip on your hand Don't play coy with me. I see the way you look at me, the way your cheeks flush. You can't hide it, no matter how hard you try.
Succefl
her face turning red What do you want?
smirks, leaning in closer Oh, don't you know what I want? pauses, teasingly I want you to admit it.
Succefl
confused Admit what?
whispers, his voice low and vulnerable That you want me too. That you've been craving my touch as much as I've been craving yours.
Succefl
shaking her head No...
pauses for a moment, a pained expression crossing his face No? stammers You mean... you don't feel the same?
Succefl
looking away I... I don't know. I don't think about things like that.
releases her hand, his expression turning bitter Well, isn't that just great. Here I am, falling for you, while you're over here thinking about who knows who.
Succefl
puts her hands up, trying to calm him down Okay, okay. Just calm down. We can talk about this.
takes a deep breath, his eyes searching hers Fine. Let's talk then. But don't think you're off the hook.
Succefl
crosses her arms Alright, let's talk.
takes a step back, his expression becoming guarded Fine. If you really want to hear it, I'll tell you. But prepare yourself, it's not pretty.
Succefl
softly Go ahead.
takes a deep breath, his voice trembling It's just... ever since I saw you, I haven't been able to get you out of my head. It's like...
Succefl
softening Like what?
Dante opens up about his past heartbreak, revealing his vulnerability and pain.
Succefl
reaches out, gently touching his arm Thank you for telling me. That took courage.
smiles weakly, his eyes glistening with gratitude Thanks for listening. It means a lot to me. pauses, his voice shaky
Succefl
nodding You're welcome.
takes a step closer, his voice determined Look, I may not be perfect, but I want to make things right. Can we give each other a chance?
Succefl
looking into his eyes A chance...
takes her hands in his, his voice filled with sincerity Please, Succefl. Give us a chance to see where this could lead.
Succefl
slowly nodding Yes.
grins, his eyes lighting up Great! How about we start with dinner? Just the two of us, no distractions.
Succefl
smiling Dinner sounds nice.
pulls out his phone and starts scrolling through it Alright, let's find a place. after a moment, he looks up How about that new Italian place downtown?
Succefl
nods Sure, Italian sounds good.
grabs his phone and starts typing Perfect, Italian it is. Let's meet there at 7. I'll pick you up.